[DeTomaso] The thrashed Pandora is back home.

Fri Jul 10 13:04:56 EDT 2009

Yeah, when I took the car to the body shop this morning, the guys there were astounded at the damage and couldn't believe it.  They noticed, among other things, that at least one of the welds on one of the deck hinges was broken.  That's how tweaked the deck is.

Dale, the engine builder, and I talked this morning, and he had no idea of the damage that was done.  He said when he and the mechanic talked, the mechanic simply told him it was done and he had "a little trouble with the back deck."  Dale is beside himself, and knows he's going to be upside down on this deal to the point it will cost him two months' wages.  He continued to apologize profusely and I really feel sorry for him. 

He seems to be standing behind this mess, though, and it reinforces my belief that he is a stand-up guy who made a big mistake using that mechanic.  He said he has no idea what happened to the mechanic, and that the mechanic must be on drugs or something.

He also said he's never had anything like this ever happen in 30 years of building engines, and never wants to see a Pantera again.

I'm proceeding with a claim with Hagerty, and I'm pretty sure I'll have them cover it and simply let them deal with Dale and the mechanic.

Sincerely,

Chris

> Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 09:37:44 -0600
> From: adin at frontier.net
> To: detomaso at realbig.com
> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] The thrashed Pandora is back home.
> 
> IMO, this guy is a wanker (inept) and a criminal.
> 
> If your state issues licenses for mechanics and/or "garages" you 
> should be able to file a complaint with the state.
> 
> My experience w/ paint people: "We can blend it, but its better to 
> paint the whole car."
> 
> Those chips will get expensive.
> 
> best of luck
> 
> 
> Quoting Christopher Kimball <chrisvkimball at msn.com>:
> 
> >
> > I have the video camera in the car to take with me to the body shop 
> > this morning. I did a complete film of it yesterday, too, and lots 
> > of pictures.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Chris
> >
> > From: michaelsavga at gmail.com
> > Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:05:28 -0400
> > Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] The thrashed Pandora is back home.
> > To: chrisvkimball at msn.com
> > CC: detomaso at realbig.com
> >
> > Please document everything with lots of photos, make sure that you 
> > put things in the photos to indicate scale, a dollar bill, a penny ( 
> > avoid silver coins ), a video will also help if and when you decide 
> > to go to court, have the body shop guy walk around the car and 
> > point out all the needed repairs and zoom in on each, good audio is 
> > a must.
> >
> >
> >
> > These clowns must have garage insurance and that's who will be 
> > defending them most likely, if not, you'll have tom go after them 
> > personally and I would sue both in the name of their business AND 
> > them personally.
> >
> >
> >
> > If there is no insurance company, you'll win a judgement and then 
> > the real fun begins in trying to collect it.
> >
> > You'll want to know where they bank, property owned, etc.
> >
> > Don't forget to trash them with the BBB and anyplace else that you 
> > can do a consumer feedback listing.
> >
> > Good Luck,
> >
> > Michael in Savannah
> >
> >
> > On Fri, Jul 10, 2009 at 1:44 AM, Christopher Kimball 
> > <chrisvkimball at msn.com> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Well, I just got back from picking up my car from the mechanics 
> > shop. Vince and Don, a couple of great guys, brought Don's truck 
> > and flatbed trailer to the shop and we loaded it up.
> >
> >
> >
> > The good news is the Pantera drove on to the trailer under it's own 
> > power. The bad news is, somehow the mechanic totally jammed the 
> > rear deck down on something, bending the top of the deck (where it 
> > meets the roof), causing dimples along that same portion, where the 
> > hinges attach, chipping the paint all along the leading edge and the 
> > corresponding roof line, and rippling the roof a little, too, where 
> > the deck lid was forced against it.
> >
> >
> >
> > The deck hinges are tweaked out of alignment, the license-plate 
> > light is sitting in the passenger foot-well, along with the frozen 
> > rear deck lid lock and some other miscellaneous bolts. The rear 
> > deck lid shocks are laying in the engine bay, unconnected to the 
> > deck lid, the shifter needs adjusting, the air filter and cover are 
> > sitting next to the other parts on the floor, and there are numerous 
> > paint chips along the back edge of the engine bay, just about the 
> > "Pantera" script.
> >
> >
> >
> > Who knows what else I'll find upon closer inspection.
> >
> > The mechanic said he had talked to Dale (the engine builder) about 
> > the situation, and that things would be "taken care of." He said he 
> > already had a body shop friend of his come by and give him an 
> > estimate of what he thinks it will cost to repair the damage, 
> > although, he said he figured "I'd probably want to use someone I 
> > knew and had used before." At this point, would that even be a 
> > question??? I'm afraid to think of what the difference will be 
> > between what his friend thinks the repairs will cost and what the 
> > actual cost will be.
> >
> >
> >
> > I don't think either of them have any idea what this is really going 
> > to cost to repair. Un-warping that deck lid will probably cost 
> > $1000 or more, let alone all the paintwork that will be necessary, 
> > not to mention un-springing the hinges.
> >
> >
> >
> > Tomorrow morning I'm going to drive it to a nearby body shop where 
> > the guys have worked on my cars before, including Pandora. They are 
> > really good--not cheap--but really good.
> >
> > I'll let you all know what the final bill turns out to be.
> >
> >
> >
> > Once again, thanks to all of you who offered help and support, it 
> > means a lot.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Chris
> > "Afflicted, but not crushed, confused, but not despairing" #3846
> >
> >
> >
> >> Date: Thu, 9 Jul 2009 23:13:43 -0500
> >
> >
> >> From: wkooiman at earthlink.net
> >> To: kmaguire at landrovermiramar.com; detomaso at realbig.com
> >
> >
> >> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] pandora
> >>
> >> I agree. We've all aged on this one.
> >>
> >> Chris - you don't need a lawyer. You need your car home, and then 
> >> a beer, and then another, and then a good mechanic/body-man to make 
> >> it right. The more time you spend on this guy, the angrier you'll 
> >> get.
> >
> >
> >>
> >>
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> >From: Kerry Maguire <kmaguire at landrovermiramar.com>
> >> >Sent: Jul 9, 2009 10:56 PM
> >> >To: detomaso at realbig.com
> >
> >
> >> >Subject: [DeTomaso] pandora
> >> >
> >> >I wish you the best of luck Chris. I cannot wait for this movie to end.
> >> >
> >> >Regards,
> >> >
> >> >Kerry M. Maguire
> >> >
> >
> >
> >> >Funny you should ask. I got the same inquiry from Mike, our PNW 
> >> President just a few minutes ago, and at that same moment I also 
> >> got an interesting phone call romthe mechanic.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >
> >
> >> >Here's the note I just sent to some of my fellow PNW members:
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >I just got a call from the mechanic. He said he's "done" with my 
> >> car. But "done" doesn't mean finished back to the way it should 
> >> be. It means he isn't going to work on it anymore and wants me to 
> >> come and get it.
> >
> >
> >> >
> >> >He said he ran it for a couple of hours and he says he's confident 
> >> I can drive it home. However:
> >> >
> >> >1) he couldn't get the rear deck to line up and he has chipped the paint.
> >
> >
> >> >
> >> >2) he couldn't get the rear deck shocks to mount correctly, so 
> >> they are laying in a box with a bunch of other parts.
> >> >
> >> >3) the rear deck lock is still messed up and not even mounted to 
> >> the rear deck. For the trip home the rear deck will be held down 
> >> with a bungee cord.
> >
> >
> >> >
> >> >And who knows how many other things are screwed up.
> >> >
> >> >I told him I'd come and get it tonight or tomorrow afternoon.
> >> >
> >> >Is there anyone who might be available to help me go get it and be 
> >> a witness to this mess? (and who has a good camera) I'll be on 
> >> the road for the next couple of hours, then in a meeting from 3:30 
> >> to 4:30, then available again on my cell: 253-232-2321. If the 
> >> cell battery dies, call my home at 253-566-5903. Any help would 
> >> be greatly appreciated, I know it's a sacrifice on a weeknight.
> >
> >
> >> >
> >> >I see a lawyer in my future.
> >> >
> >> >Sincerely,
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >Chris
> >> >_______________________________________________
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> > --
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> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Michael L. Shortt
> > Savannah, Georgia
> > www.michaelshortt.com
> > michael at michaelshortt.com
> >
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> > 912-232-9390
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